1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a combination trailer and lifting apparatus, and more particularly, to a lightweight combination boat trailer and lift for transporting a boat and elevating the boat above a body of water.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Boat trailers are commonly known in the art for transporting a boat from one location to another by utilizing a towing vehicle. In addition, boat trailers are also employed to position the boat within a body of water in order to facilitate launching the boat. Once the boat is launched, the boat trailer has essentially served its purpose and is thereby removed from the water with the towing vehicle. This allows the boat trailer to be stored in an appropriate location until the boat trailer is once again needed to remove the boat from the water.
While the boat is situated in the body of water, it is particularly desirable to store the boat above the water in order to prevent the boat from becoming damaged by waves and also to maintain the cleanliness of the boat hull. To achieve these results, a boat lift is commonly employed to elevate the boat above the body of water for docking and storage. Thereafter, when it is desired to utilize the boat, the boat lift is lowered into the water, thereby allowing the boat to float free from the boat lift. After a boating season ends, and particularly in colder climates, the boat is once again removed from the body of water and stored on the boat trailer. This results in having to remove the boat lift from the water to store it on land in order to prevent the boat lift from becoming damaged or corroded.
Accordingly, one typically must maintain and store both a boat trailer and a boat lift in order to transport a boat and elevate the boat above a body of water for docking and storage. This results in not employing the boat trailer and having to store it when the boat is docked or stored on the boat lift. Furthermore, when the boat is stored on the boat trailer, the boat lift is typically removed from the body of water and also kept in storage. As a result, the cost of maintaining and storing a separate boat trailer and a boat lift is increased, as well as requiring a sufficient amount of storage space for both devices.
In addition, the process of removing the typical boat lift from the body of water, as well as positioning the boat lift at a suitable docking location is often difficult and requires more than one individual. This is particularly true where the shoreline consists of harsh and irregular terrain often encountered along most shorelines. Moreover, to make matters more difficult, the typical boat lift does not float, nor can the boat lift be maneuvered in a floatable manner in order to facilitate the process of positioning the boat lift at a suitable docking location.
What is needed then is a single lightweight combination boat trailer and lift which can transport a boat, elevate the boat above a body of water for docking and storage and capable of being maneuvered about the body of water in a floatable manner to facilitate positioning the combination boat trailer and lift at a suitable docking location. This will ultimately result in reducing the cost of having to maintain a separate boat trailer and a boat lift by combining them into a single device, while also alleviating the burden of having to store an unused boat trailer or boat lift. Moreover, the process of removing and positioning a combination boat trailer and lift which is capable of being maneuvered in a floatable manner will be much easier and require only one individual.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight combination boat trailer and lift that can achieve these results.